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MountainTrue board chairman goes to D.C., advocates for the environment

MountainTrue Board Chairman Peter Krull at the White House for a meeting with the Council for Environmental Quality

Our Board Chairman Peter Krull at the White House for a meeting with the Council for Environmental Quality

 

MountainTrue board chairman goes to D.C., advocates for the environment

During the last week of April, MountainTrue Board Chairman Peter Krull was in Washington, D.C., advocating for a number of environmental and climate change policies. The trip was sponsored by E2, Environmental Entrepreneurs, which is part of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC). MountainTrue has worked with E2 in the past to get entrepreneurs more involved with environmental policy. While in D.C., Peter and his team met with members of the administration, including the Undersecretaries of Transportation and Agriculture, and the President’s Council on Environmental Quality. They also had meetings with nine Senate offices, including staff from North Carolina Sens. Tillis and Burr. They met with five House offices, including staff from Rep. Mark Meadows’ office. Peter’s group had multiple objectives for their meetings: — To demonstrate to legislators and the administration the importance of marrying economic and environmental interests — To establish relationships with legislators on both sides of the aisle And to discuss our policy agenda, which includes: — The importance of incentives and renewable energy tax credits — Clean energy financing opportunities — Climate Change legislation and rules — The EPA Clean Power Plan — A Transportation Bill that is  financially and environmentally sustainable — Continued support for the military’s research into renewable energy MountainTrue is very proud to have Peter on our team, advocating for our environment in Western North Carolina — and in the halls of Washington, D.C.

Meeting with Sen. John Boozman, R-Arkansas, and his staff.

Meeting with Sen. John Boozman, R-Arkansas, and his staff.

EPA extends comment period on climate rules

asheville-coal-plant

Duke Energy’s Asheville-area coal-fired power plant

From the Wall Street Journal, Sept. 16, 2014

Draft Regulations Aim to Control Power-Plant Carbon Emissions

WASHINGTON—The Obama administration said Tuesday it is allowing more time for the public to weigh in on draft regulations controlling carbon emissions from hundreds of fossil-fuel power plants across the country after a majority of senators called for the extension.

The Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday it was extending by 45 days its public-comment period that was originally scheduled to end Oct. 16.

In a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy last week, 53 senators, including several Democrats up for re-election this year, urged the administration to allow 60 more days; the comment period was originally 120 days. The new closing date is Dec. 1.

Announced on June 2, the proposed rule seeks to cut carbon emissions from the nation’s power plants 30% by 2030 based on emissions levels from 2005. EPA has set different standards for each state, based upon regional energy mixes and what the agency has deemed each state can do to shift to cleaner sources of electricity.

The agency is still scheduled to issue a final rule by its original deadline of June 2015, EPA Acting Administrator for Air and Radiation Janet McCabe said on a conference call with reporters Tuesday. “Because of the strong amount of interest we’ve seen from stakeholders, we are announcing today that we are extending the comment period for an additional 45 days,” Ms. McCabe said.

The regulations are the cornerstone of President Barack Obama’s climate-change agenda and affect most detrimentally coal-fired power plants, which produce the most carbon emissions and provide about 40% of the nation’s electricity today.

EPA’s announcement Tuesday comes a week before Mr. Obama travels to New York City to participate in a United Nations summit where he is expected to lay out his administration’s climate-change agenda to world leaders.

8/21: EPA hosts CTS Superfund site listening session

News release from Buncombe County:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) will hold a listening session to solicit input from community members regarding the EPA’s communication with residents impacted by the CTS of Asheville Superfund Site. Comments must address communications that occurred after January 2012 related to:

  • Site sampling and monitoring.
  • Schedules and milestones for planned and completed site activities.
  • Site cleanup progress to date.
  • Safeguards in place for protecting human health as cleanup activities continue.

Thursday, August 21, 6 – 8 p.m.
T.C. Roberson High School Auditorium
250 Overlook Road, Asheville
All local residents are invited to share their experiences.

Each community member will be given three minutes to speak on the specified subject areas – with the possibility of additional time after all others have spoken. The OIG requests that participants follow a few ground rules: (1) Avoid talking while others are speaking, (2) Refrain from personal confrontations or attacks, and (3) Respect agreements about time. The OIG will hear oral statements and collect supporting documentation to aid in determining whether the EPA has been communicating as required and if communication has been timely. A comment box also will be made available to submit written statements.

On July 22, 2014, the OIG announced a review of CTS site sampling, monitoring, communication and opportunities for site cleanup efficiencies. The OIG is an independent office within the EPA that performs audits, evaluations and investigations of the EPA and its contractors to promote economy and efficiency, and to prevent and detect fraud, waste and abuse. Through program evaluation work, the OIG contributes to improved environmental quality and human health. The OIG strives to provide solutions to problems that ultimately result in making America a cleaner and healthier place.

For more information about the OIG, visit www.epa.gov/oig and follow us on Twitter at @EPAoig.

Local activists to testify at EPA’s historic hearings on power plant emissions

[Charlotte Sierra Club]

[Charlotte Sierra Club]

Some 1,600 expected to speak at hearings across the country

ASHEVILLE—On June 2, President Obama and the EPA announced the first-ever carbon pollution limits on all existing power plants. It’s the most important climate action of his presidency, because power plants are America’s single largest source of extreme-weather intensifying, public-health threatening carbon pollution.

The EPA has scheduled four public hearings across the country—in Pittsburgh, Denver, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta—to give people the opportunity to give oral testimony on the new carbon standards.

On July 29, concerned citizens from Western North Carolina will travel to Atlanta to give formal comments supporting the EPA’s proposed carbon pollution limits at the hearing in the Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center.

A busload of area activists will leave Asheville at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday from Earth Fare in the Westgate Shopping Center. A press conference, rally and a march will be held in Atlanta outside the hearings. The bus will return to Asheville by midnight.

 “We need to tell the EPA that limiting carbon from power plants is the fastest way to tackle climate disruption,” said Anna Jane Joyner, campaign coordinator with Western North Carolina Alliance. “The coal-fired power plant in Asheville is the largest single contributor to climate disruption in our mountains, releasing carbon dioxide into the air every year equivalent to 500,000 cars on the road. This is not just an environmental problem, it’s a public health issue and it’s an economic issue.”

The EPA says it anticipates hearing oral comments from about 1,600 people.

Anyone interested in getting a seat on the bus from Asheville to Atlanta should go to:

http://www.eventbrite.com/e/bus-to-the-epa-carbon-protections-hearing-tickets-12239930963. 

The cost is $10, plus a small processing fee.

People also can comment on the EPA’s proposal online or by email, fax or letter. EPA says it considers all comments equally, no matter how they are submitted.

The comment period on the proposed carbon pollution limits rule is open until Oct. 16.

Complete information on the various ways to comment can be found at:

http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/how-comment-clean-power-plan-proposed-rule